


'Twas a Dark and Stormy Night

by nycz



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Cuddling & Snuggling, F/F, Family Fluff, Hints of Smut, Power Outage, Werewolves, hints of angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-03
Updated: 2015-10-03
Packaged: 2018-04-24 11:25:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,632
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4917751
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nycz/pseuds/nycz
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A storm rolls over Storybrooke, taking out power and keeping lightly sleeping townspeople awake. Over on Mifflin Street, Regina, Ruby, and their young daughter cuddle up by the fire and make the best of the situation.</p>
            </blockquote>





	'Twas a Dark and Stormy Night

**Author's Note:**

  * For [mysensitiveside](https://archiveofourown.org/users/mysensitiveside/gifts).



The heavy rain was pounding against the window panes, getting worse by the minute. Even inside the mansion the rain was loud enough to reach every room.

Regina shot another glance at the clock on the wall as she bustled about in the kitchen, cleaning up after her impromptu baking session. Ruby and Ylva were late, just as they had been the last time she'd checked the time. They had been over at the diner most of the afternoon, helping Granny to prepare for the storm, but more than half an hour after when Ruby said they'd be home they were still nowhere in sight. As ridiculous as Regina felt – after all, not many things could threaten a werewolf in her prime – she couldn't help the creeping sensation that something was wrong.

Crouching down by the oven, Regina squinted at the cookies through the oven door. Maybe someone had gotten their hands on silver arrows? She sprung to her feet, the mere thought of her family getting hurt making her stomach churn. She could make a quick tracking spell, just to be sure. It wouldn't be all that difficult–

A very familiar thumping noise from the front door ripped her from her increasingly panicked thoughts. She placed her oven gloves on the kitchen island and stepped out to the foyer, her fear quickly getting replaced by irritation. The sound of rain was almost deafening when she opened the front door, but her focus was solely on the two soaked figures standing on her porch: one large black wolf and one smaller, dark gray wolf.

"I believe you told me you would be home forty minutes ago, _dear_ ," Regina noted, arms crossed and a dangerous glint in her eyes. "And don't think you showing up in your fur is going to help your case."

Ruby let out a puff of breath that sounded almost like a human sigh before turning back into her human shape. The little wolf next to her wasn't far behind, turning into a young girl with dark hair and a wide, toothy grin. Before Ruby had time to explain, Ylva bounded forward and leaped into Regina's arms with a giggle.

"We ran through the woods, Mommy! I saw a rabbit too but it ran away. And then I almost climbed a tree but Mama didn't let me," Ylva rambled, her smile widening as Ruby's turned sheepish.

"I _meant_ to go home first but the rain started earlier than I thought it would, so I figured we might as well run home as wolves instead, so our clothes wouldn't get wet," Ruby explained, rubbing the back of her neck awkwardly. "But then the wind felt so good and it wasn't raining _that_ much... and I thought we had more time than we did. Sorry." She shifted her weight back and forth, rocking on her heels as she pointedly looked past Regina into the house, no doubt having already smelled Regina's earlier cooking.

"I suppose I can let your tardiness slide, just this once," Regina muttered and stepped aside, letting them inside. "I take it all went well at the diner?"

Ruby shrugged and crouched down next to Ylva, helping her out of her shoes and jacket. "It was all pretty routine. Boarded up the windows, made sure the–"

"Auntie Emma was there too!" Ylva exclaimed, almost tripping over her shoes and falling over in excitement. "She poofed in and helped Leroy get home."

"Emma and Ylva played hide and seek for an hour or so," Ruby said when she finally was able to pull off the last shoe, freeing the young girl to bound over to Regina again. "Pretty sure Em gave her a bear claw when I wasn't looking." She stood and nudged her head towards Ylva, grinning. "Because someone's clearly on a sugar rush."

Regina's expression immediately grew mock-suspicious, an eyebrow raised and smirk on her lips. "Well now," she said, lifting Ylva up in one quick swoop. "Is that correct, young lady?"

But Ylva only shook her head, her gap-toothed smile wide and bright. "Nope! That's _confidential_." She pronounced the word very carefully, making sure she got it right, just like Emma had taught her. "Official sheriffy business."

"Maybe I'll just have to have a conversation with the sheriff about these official sheriffy businesses then. I am the mayor, after all," Regina quipped, bouncing Ylva a few times to the girls delight.

Truth be told, Regina had long since given up any kind of hope of keeping Emma's at time dubious influence out of Ylva's life. Almost as soon as she had met Ylva, Emma had taken a liking to the energetic young girl and had become both the favorite aunt and the obvious choice for god mother before Regina had really noticed what was happening. For reasons that Emma hadn't entirely explained, she had been determined to be a steady, regular part of Ylva's life and while Regina and her would probably always disagree on some parts of the girl's upbringing, the thought of keeping Emma away from Ylva had never even entered Regina's mind.

"When can _I_ learn to poof, Mommy?" Ylva asked excitedly, her arms loosely linked around Regina's neck. "Aunt Emma came in with _sparkly_ smoke today. 

Regina only barely resisted the urge to poof a living electric eel or something equally unpleasant into Emma's bed. Needless to say, the fact that Emma had become firmly entrenched in the role of "cool aunt" in Ylva's life wasn't always something Regina was fond of. "You already know what I'm going to say, aren't you?" she replied with a knowing look.

" _When I'm older_ ," Ylva muttered with a huff and a pout. They'd had this particular conversation for almost as long as Ylva had been able to talk, and the answer was always the same. She looked poised to say something else, but a yawn took over instead as her sugar rush started to peter out.

"And when you're not about to fall asleep." Regina kissed her forehead and then leaned over to place a quick kiss on Ruby's cheek. "I'll put her to bed. Back in a bit."

Ylva was already slumped against Regina's shoulder even before they got to her room. After all the excitement from the storm and the run through the woods – not to mention all that playtime with Emma – Ylva was fast asleep as soon as she touched her bed. After tucking her in and making sure her window was firmly shut, Regina placed another brief kiss on her forehead and left the room with a last fond look at her sleeping daughter.

She found Ruby in the kitchen, leaning over one of the kitchen counters. Remembering what she had been doing earlier, Regina let out a muttered string of curses and hurried over to the oven, eyes flitting over to the kitchen island in search of the oven gloves.

"Don't worry, I saved the cookies for you," Ruby assured her, gesturing to the steaming hot cookies in front of her. "I haven't even stolen any." The reassuring words were lessened by her lopsided grin.

Regina stepped up to the sheet and inspected the cookies carefully. They had probably only been in a few minutes too long, not long enough to make them inedible. "How considerate of you," she deadpanned as she lifted one of the cookies to check the underside.

"So." Ruby stepped around Regina, snaking an arm around her waist and molding her front to Regina's back, resting her head on Regina's shoulder. "What's the occasion?"

Regina pursed her lips in thought, wiping her hands on a towel. Although they hadn't talked about it much, Regina was fairly certain Ruby knew that she often baked when she was stressed or nervous. Even so, it wasn't something she easily admitted to.

"I'm sorry about earlier," Ruby murmured when Regina didn't reply. "I noticed you were a bit on edge today, I should have called when I left Granny's–"

"This isn't about that," Regina snapped, wincing internally at how harsh she sounded as soon as the words left her mouth. "I know you can take care of yourself," she continued, her voice softer. "And no, it isn't about Henry and Emma going on their ridiculous camping trip either."

Ruby chuckled. "At least they didn't take the Bug, though." Suddenly, her body stiffened and she stepped back, muttering a quiet "crap".

Turning around to face her, Regina gave her an odd look. "What?"

"I... think I forgot to close the garage." She winced. "This morning when Emma put her car here." She bounced on her soles a few times before heading off for the front door.

"Ruby–"

"Be right back!" Ruby called out before the front door clicked shut behind her. A minute or so later Regina heard footsteps on the porch and the door opened again, revealing a sheepishly smiling and _very_ wet Ruby. "Done."

Regina huffed and shook her head. "I could have poofed you there, Ruby."

Ruby froze and blinked, head tilted to the side in surprise. "Oh. Right." She shrugged and began squeezing the water out of her hair. "Maybe I like getting wet, though," she said with a waggle of her eyebrows.

Regina rolled her eyes. "Sometimes I wonder if you're not related to the Charmings in some way," she muttered, her lips quirking up in a fond smile. "Or maybe that particular brand of idiocy is contagious. Now get out of those clothes and take a shower while I get the fire started in the living room."

"Yes, Ma'am," Ruby grinned, kicking off her shoes and heading for the stairs, her hips swaying a little more than usual.

 

* * *

 

The rain had died down a little – just a little – when Ruby came down from her shower. The fireplace was lit and Regina had already taken a seat in one of the sofas, a book in her lap and her reading glasses perched on her nose.

Ruby shuffled over to the sofa and plopped down next to Regina, frowning slightly when Regina made no move to cuddle up closer. Regina had been in a funk all day but whenever Ruby had asked her about it she had evaded the question or just changed the topic altogether, and now, with Regina still in her comparatively non-cozy clothes and her stiff posture, the fact that something was wrong was more obvious than ever. Despite all that, Ruby kept quiet. Knowing Regina, the best course of action would be to be wait her out and be there when she wanted to talk. Leaning back against the sofa, she unlocked her tablet and pulled up a nice, mindless game. After a day of running around and making sure the diner and Storybrooke was ready for the storm, she had more than deserved some time off.

She wasn't sure how much time had passed when the light suddenly went out, followed by a deafening rumble that almost felt like it shook the house.

Regina put down her book with a displeased noise. "Really?"

Placing her tablet on the table, Ruby got to her feet and padded over to the window. Squinting, she tried to make out the neighbors' houses. "Looks like the whole street has lost power."

"Probably the rest of the town too," Regina muttered. "Just perfect."

"I'll go get some candles."

When she returned with the box of tealights, Regina was still sitting on the sofa, gazing into the fire with a distant stare. There was clearly something on her mind.

Having placed the candles on almost every flat surface nearby, Ruby sat down next to Regina. The candles filled the room with warm light that softened the sharp, flickering shadows created by the fireplace, reminding Ruby of late nights in Granny's cottage back in the Enchanted Forest when she was still young and the threat of the wolf hadn't begun to dominate their lives quite as much.

"Are you going to tell me what's wrong or what?" Ruby asked, gently bumping Regina's shoulder with her own. "I can tell that something's still bothering you."

At first, Regina looked poised to let out one of her stiff retorts, but she apparently thought better of it and shook her head, her body slumping uncharacteristically. "It's nothing important."

Ruby hesitated for a moment, then placed a hand on Regina's and squeezed. "Let's go cuddle by the fire, okay?" she suggested with a hopeful smile, hoping it would let Regina relax enough to feel comfortable taking about whatever was bothering her. Not that cuddling wasn't a goal in and of itself, of course. She cocked her head to the side and scrunched up her nose a little. "Maybe change into something more comfortable, too."

After a sigh and some grumbling, Regina stood and flicked her wrist, changing into her pajamas with a quick spell. They sat down in front of the fire, curling up close together under a blanket. As the minutes passed, Regina slowly relaxed, leaning into Ruby and resting her head on Ruby's shoulder. She felt quite small under Ruby's arm, a far cry from the no-nonsense high-heeled mayor that she was on most day.

"Even with a plane, it'll take hours to get to him when he goes to college," Regina said, her voice not much more than a whisper. With a heavy sigh, she curled into Ruby's embrace even more, nestling her head into the crook of Ruby's neck. "I know he's growing up, but..."

Ruby didn't need to ask to know it was Henry she was talking about. This was the last summer before Henry started college and as much as Regina had tried to hide it, Ruby knew her well enough to see through her facade. "You can still skype and call him," Ruby replied, then chuckled softly. "Knowing how much he loves you, he probably won't even complain if you call every day." 

"It's not the same," Regina mumbled.

They sat quiet for a little while, watching the crackling fire and listening to the distant rumble of the rain. Despite the subject of their conversation, the silence was easy and comfortable.

"I suppose I just have to let him go his own way at some point," Regina acquiesced quietly. "I'm sorry I've been so closed off today," she added after a pause.

"Don't worry about it. It's a big change after all. I wouldn't be surprised if I react the same way when Ylva's all grown up."

"Don't remind me," Regina muttered.

"Although, if we need a pep talk about letting go, we could always call Elsa," Ruby quipped.

The sound Regina made was somewhere between a scoff and choked laughter. " _Miss Lucas,_ " she warned, but Ruby could hear the smile in her voice. Feeling bold, Ruby scooted back behind Regina and pulled the other woman in between her legs.

Regina squeaked – something she would no doubt deny later – when she suddenly found herself practically enveloped by Ruby's warm embrace. "Ruby, what are you–"

Grinning to herself, Ruby looped her arms around Regina's midriff and kissed her neck, effectively cutting Regina off. She was feeling more physical than usual and although cuddling was very nice, she was in the mood for something a little more intimate.

"Oh," Regina breathed, letting her head loll back against Ruby's shoulder.

"I hope you weren't saying anything important," Ruby murmured against Regina's skin, reaching forward to place another kiss just below Regina's ear.

Regina chuckled, turning her head to meet Ruby's lips with her own for a brief but sweet kiss. "Nothing that can't wait, I suppose." Under her breath, she muttered, "Horndog."

"I don't hear you complaining." Ruby fiddled with one of the buttons of Regina's shirt to see if her hand would be swatted away. When Regina didn't object, Ruby undid it and snaked her hand inside, resting it on Regina's skin just under her breasts, causing a hitch in Regina's breath.

Ruby slowly undid another button and another until Regina's shirt was open down to her waist. Pulling it off her shoulders, Ruby greeted the newly liberated skin with slow, lazy kisses, thoroughly enjoying the taste and feeling of Regina's skin. Her fingers skirted the underside of Regina's breasts, only giving the sensitive skin faint, fleeting touches that was anything but satisfying, while she turned Regina into an increasingly squirming mess with kisses and nibbles all over her shoulders and neck, little by little.

A faint creak and a few soft thumps made Ruby freeze, her ears perked and eyes flitting about as she listened intently. Then, to Regina's protests, she quickly buttoned Regina's shirt and made sure they both looked presentable.

"Ruby," Regina objected, more than a little annoyed about the abrupt end.

"Ylva's coming," Ruby whispered as she left a parting kiss on Regina's neck. "Don't want to traumatize her just yet, right?"

"Oh." She sighed. "I suppose not."

True to Ruby's word, a few seconds later the young girl came padding into the room, dragging a huge stuffed animal behind her.

"Moms?" Ylva sounded only half awake. "I couldn't sleep. The thunder's really loud."

"Neither did Swan, I take it?" Regina lifted the blanket and patted her lap. "Come here, sweetie. We are," she shot a quick pointed glance at Ruby, "cuddling."

Ylva made a muffled, unintelligible noise and yawned widely as she shuffled over to Regina and plopped down in her lap, hugging Swan tightly.

Swan, her giant stuffed bird, was a gift from Emma and – despite it's name – a giant kiwi bird. Somewhere along the way, Emma's surname and the bird's species had been confused and its name had become Swan. Emma had of course found the thing hilarious and declared, much to Regina's chagrin and Ylva's delight, that the bird in fact now was an honorary swan, courtesy of Emma's "sheriffy powers". Now, years later, it was still Ylva's favorite stuffed companion, sporting bite marks here and there from when she had insisted on bringing it on one of her runs with Ruby in the woods.

Ylva let out sleepy sigh and curled into Regina's embrace. "Mommy?" She popped open one eye, looking far less sleepy than her demeanor would have given the impression of. "Will you tell me a story?"

Regina pursed her lips to hide her amused smile, brushing a few strands of dark hair out of Ylva's face. "So that's what this is about, is it?"

Ylva just grinned, that wide, unapologetic smile that both she and Ruby knew could get Regina to cave on just about anything.

"I _suppose_ we have time for one story. But only one," Regina stated, not even bothering to keep up any kind of stern facade. She poked Ylva's nose and then the giant kiwi bird on its stubby beak. "Swan needs sleep too, just like you."

Ruby, probably as excited for the story time as Ylva was, unwrapped herself from Regina and hopped to her feet. "I'll get the cookies!"

She skipped out into the kitchen and pulled out a bowl from one of the cupboards, filling it to the brim with the now cooled cookies. With one cookie in her mouth and the rest in the bowl, she went back to join the others by the fire.

"Now, let's see," Regina mused as Ruby curled up next to her under the blanket. "What kind of story..."

"Something with magic," Ylva urged, her eyes glittering. "Cool magic!"

"Oh, then I know the _perfect_ story," Regina chuckled. "It was one of Emma's first magic lessons..."

 

* * *

 

An hour later, the story was finished and Ylva was all but asleep. With Ruby carrying Ylva and Swan and Regina having made sure the fire and all the candles were put out, they little group headed up the stairs to the bedrooms.

Ylva's eyes fluttered open when Ruby lay her down in the bed and tucked her in. She smiled sleepily and hugged Swan a little tighter. "G'night Mommy and Mama," she mumbled before letting out a puff of breath and turning on her side, instantly asleep.

Placing a loving kiss on Ylva's forehead, Regina mumbled her goodnight. She followed Ruby out of the room but made sure to put a faint soundproofing spell on the room before leaving. There had been more than enough excitement for one night for that girl.

Ruby was already in bed when Regina joined her, her eyes glinting with hints of yellow in the darkness. As soon as Regina lay down, Ruby scooted over and pulled her in, spooning her with a pleased sigh.

"Are you my personal koala today, dear?" Regina murmured.

"You looked like you needed it," Ruby replied, nuzzling Regina's neck with her nose. "And you're very comfortable to cuddle, too." She paused for a moment. "Besides, when Henry's away in college, you'll still have me and Ylva. I figured I could show you how nice it could be even when there's only the three of us."

Regina turned around to face Ruby, giving her a soft peck on her lips as she did. "Thank you. And you're both more than enough."

Ruby smiled and pulled her in for a longer kiss. "Good." Her expression turned a little mischievous. "Besides, you've also got the other side of the family. Maybe we should start having Snow and David over for dinner every week?"

Regina snorted. "Emma is quite enough of that family, at least on a regular basis." She nudged Ruby's shoulder, pushing her onto her back. "Now go to sleep."

Snickering, Ruby wisely kept quiet, curling her arm around Regina's shoulders and shifting a little in the bed to get comfortable. "G'night."

"Good night," Regina mumbled in response, lying half on top of Ruby.

The muted sound of the rain lulled them both to sleep within minutes.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm pretty sure I got cavities after writing this. SO FLUFFY
> 
> also Emma is a huge troll


End file.
